Learning to fly, or thinking of learning? Post your questions, comments and experiences here

Moderator: AndyR

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By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1848390
AndyR wrote:It has been said above, but better to learn to fly than learn to solo an aircraft in minimum time.

Also said above....STOP BEATING YOURSELF UP!!

It's odd isn't it, such a consistent theme around here. I was the same.

My dad had flown Tiger Moths at school, and Harvards at Cambridge. He got his PPL before he could drive a car. He worked for British Aerospace, as it became, his whole career.

When I started learning to fly at 29, it was the fulfillment of a lifetime dream (I had sat in a Harrier cockpit as a small child), and there was unfinished business for me, as for reasons I won't go into now, I had withdrawn an application to join the UAS while at uni.

So in retrospect it's perhaps not surprising that I put myself under a lot of pressure. But it didn't help!

Becoming a pilot, with its intensity, its difficulties, its setbacks, and its joys, can become a defining thing in a person's life. It certainly has in mine, and I think that brings its pressures.

So it's no surprise that many people end up in a similar place - for whatever reason; everyone has their story. We all have to learn the "put it behind you and move on" mindset in our own way.

Not that I've really learned that lesson even to this day. I'm better than I was, but still not great. Thank god I don't make any mistakes any more... :wink:
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By editmonkey
#1848393
T6Harvard wrote:On the Pre flight inspection I found the oil was a bit low, easily remedied and I spotted a screw jutting point-up inside an end cap,


I always chuckle to myself after doing the under the cowl checks. I make a good point of peering in with intense scrutiny and looking at all the engine parts as if I have A CLUE what I'm looking for. Meanwhile my brain is going: "Engine.... check. Pipes... check. Wires... check." :lol:

Far sager voices have said it above but does sound like you're beating yourself up too much. Keep up the amazing flying.
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By Crash one
#1848540
editmonkey wrote:
T6Harvard wrote:On the Pre flight inspection I found the oil was a bit low, easily remedied and I spotted a screw jutting point-up inside an end cap,


I always chuckle to myself after doing the under the cowl checks. I make a good point of peering in with intense scrutiny and looking at all the engine parts as if I have A CLUE what I'm looking for. Meanwhile my brain is going: "Engine.... check. Pipes... check. Wires... check." :lol:

Far sager voices have said it above but does sound like you're beating yourself up too much. Keep up the amazing flying.


I sometimes envy people who were not brought up on a diet of nuts and bolts washed down with Castrol GTX.
There is a tractor/trailer that passes my house every couple of days with a worn wheel bearing on the trailer. I can hear it from a mile away.
The “waa, waa, waa, waa, noise this thing makes is driving me nuts!
It is as bad to me as someone scraping finger nails down a blackboard.
I feel like stopping the guy at gunpoint and fixing the damn thing myself!
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By tr7v8
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1848593
Well another lesson under my belt. 6 more take offs & landings in the logbook. Oh and another abbreviation learnt EFATO (Engine Failure at Take Off) ulp....
Rochester is not a nice place to have to do an emergency landing, flying off 20 as we were today, there are a lot of trees! On 02 it is a lot of houses. Did the pre flight & take off OK, My FI showed me a EFATO & then I tried it, not very well as lowered the nose too much and we picked up a lot of speed. So FI took over. The circuits were flakey, one I'd get one bit right and it would fall apart of something else. Not sure if it was better or worse than last Tuesdays TBH. Weather was quite turbulent so lots of time spent trying to stay S & L. I think some bits were better, altitude control was better. Oh well we will see what Tuesday brings.
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By tr7v8
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1848606
Errr yes, that is obviously what we're working towards in the near future!
Our final landing today was a complete disaster, too high by a country mile. We got down but only by my FI using full flap.

Just remembered lesson this coming week is Wednesday as I have a work commitment on Tuesday. Damn people booking stuff on flying days! Still I suppose it pays for the flying.
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By Cessna571
#1848607
Crash one wrote:
editmonkey wrote:
T6Harvard wrote:On the Pre flight inspection I found the oil was a bit low, easily remedied and I spotted a screw jutting point-up inside an end cap,


I always chuckle to myself after doing the under the cowl checks. I make a good point of peering in with intense scrutiny and looking at all the engine parts as if I have A CLUE what I'm looking for. Meanwhile my brain is going: "Engine.... check. Pipes... check. Wires... check." :lol:

Far sager voices have said it above but does sound like you're beating yourself up too much. Keep up the amazing flying.


I sometimes envy people who were not brought up on a diet of nuts and bolts washed down with Castrol GTX.
There is a tractor/trailer that passes my house every couple of days with a worn wheel bearing on the trailer. I can hear it from a mile away.
The “waa, waa, waa, waa, noise this thing makes is driving me nuts!
It is as bad to me as someone scraping finger nails down a blackboard.
I feel like stopping the guy at gunpoint and fixing the damn thing myself!


Where do you live exactly?

I need to come and drive backwards and forwards past your house.

I have a seriously whining diff that needs sorting.
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By Crash one
#1848701
Chuck a handful of sawdust in it, that’ll quiet it down!
Or ask @tr7v8 , with a name like that he’s likely to know!! :D :D
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By tr7v8
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1848821
Crash one wrote:Chuck a handful of sawdust in it, that’ll quiet it down!
Or ask @tr7v8 , with a name like that he’s likely to know!! :D :D

The TR7 was a dog when I bought it & needed two new rear wheel bearings. Once done that was it. Back axle is massive & overrated for the car.
Spannered cars since I was a kid, my dad bought me up fixing things which has carried on, I an now 64. I understand the irritation people feel with people who don't have mechanical sympathy. I am moving away from spannering my own motors these days, although can still diagnose when needed & get calls because I have a decent OBD reader.
Was looking to build my own aircraft once I have a PPL. HBA (Home Built Aircraft) is an interesting site. I have learnt loads on there.
By Crash one
#1848835
@tr7v8
I could have written that myself, you sound like me! Except I’m nearly 20 years ahead at 81, so what’s an OBD reader? :D I started on bikes in the mid 50s through motor bikes and cars till they started fitting computers in them! Aircraft engines are mostly 50s/60s technology.
The TR7 that I had was a basket case from the wheel bearings to all points north and south.
I fixed it, drove it for a couple of years and sold it to a classic car enthusiast.
As for building an aircraft, depends if you want to fly or spend your time building.
By Cessna571
#1848947
Lol... I’m the same but only 50 ;-)

My old cars have always been Triumphs.. the odd special one and I used to race in the TSSC / TR register series.

Gave that up, it’s cheaper to fly than to race!

I currently have a MK3 Spitfire, I’m the 2nd owner from new, I’ve had it 25 odd years and always spannered myself.

I presume you guys also have lots of stories.

Ever tried to rewire a fuel pump at 2am outside a fish factory in France in order to get you home after having an “under the dashboard smoke” incident?
I ended up stealing the wiring from the horn to rewire the fuel pump.
I now always carry a spare reel of wire too.

(This wasn’t the current Spit, that has a proper mechanical pump, though that did spring a leak, about 10 years ago, a while different story)

Kids today, they miss all this fun!
By Crash one
#1849007
I know it was me that started this thread drift but I think we should get back on track.
It looks like we are about to see a few first solos quite soon, so keep the nose up a bit and as my little Spanish instructor said, “Kip a centre line!”

Image
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By T6Harvard
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1849017
We've just been on a beautiful walk but I confess to thinking a lot about flying while hoofing it up the hills and concluded that I am addicted :mrgreen:
The day included occasional bursts of insight - hearing my Instructor's voice and suddenly twigging another tip. I also 'flew' the circuit just concentrating on trimming!
To cap it all, the walk was puntuated by a low-flying Chinook for added interest. MrT6 said it was flying slowly so I timed it and tried to guess the distance covered, and then estimate speed. Wholly inaccurate of course but I thought it would be good practice :D

PS, @Crash one , you could have warned me sooner that the first solo is a deck landing :lol:
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By andynxn
#1849279
Hi T6,

Your doing great, im not going to repeat what others have said but just remember were working our little brains 100% at moment whilst learning. Not like a car where you can decide to pull over and have 5 minutes.

I am loving the wirte ups, i think a few of us are all at the same level so its good to read. We have all kind of hyjacked your thread.

Myself im on circuits too, had two sessions now, 10 take offs and landing in the book. A couple have been bouncy and a couple which just worked, then went to all mush again. I did a short feild take off, and a flapless approach too on my last lesson, so my instructor keeps putting more and more in just as i think it was about to click with my positioning and final. But its all good practice and you dont want everything the same every time.
Im doing more on the radio too, but sometimes get a complete blank and end up saying call sign then ummmm so hang up, instructor takes over, even when i am constantly talking it over to myself when driving my car...
We will get there, one day we will look back over these posts and chuckle to ourselves. :D
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By tr7v8
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1849287
Sounds like a few of us are at about the same point. Next lesson tomorrow, hopefully will go better than the last one. I think until some of the actions in the circuit become automatic with muscle memory then it won't come together & my brain will continue to be fried.
Radio is variable, I trained as a radio tech & worked for the AA afterwards so VHF should be easy, but probably with everything else going on my brain fades & it goes to pieces.
Just booked Tues & Saturdays up to the beginning of July. So hopefully more flying will get it cracked. ;-)
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